BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO

St. Patrick’s Day in our house always meant corned beef and cabbage. It was a yummy treat, but the cabbage and potatoes were always overcooked and lacking a ton of flavor. That’s where this recipe sneaks in to save the day. This can be served as a main dish or along-side a protein of your choice. You’ll notice that I’ve made the butter and spicy mayo optional for my vegan friends. But for those of you who partake in dairy-don’t skip these steps!

Ingredients

1/2 head organic green cabbage

2 Tbsp high smoke point cooking oil (grapeseed or high-heat      cooking olive oil)

1/4 stick of butter (optional)

Pinch of salt and pepper (or low sodium Montreal steak seasoning,

    which is my go-to spice for veggies)

chives and dill (to taste)

Spicy Mayo (optional)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp Sriracha sauce

1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Begin heating a 10” or larger cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Allow it to preheat, before adding the oil, for at least five minutes.

Remove any damaged leaves from the cabbage and rinse it well. Cut it in half, then cut one of the halves into four wedges. Leave the core intact (cut off the very end if it is dirty or damaged). Reserve the second half for a second batch.

Once the cast iron skillet is fully heated, add 1-2 Tbsp of oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the cabbage wedges to the skillet, making sure that each piece is laying flat on the surface of the skillet. Season the pieces with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let the cabbage cook undisturbed for about 7 minutes, or until the bottom side is well blackened.

Flip the cabbage and season the second side with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let cook undisturbed on the second side for about 7 minutes, or until well blackened. The skillet may be smoking, so be sure to turn on your vent hood. At this point, if you want to get down and dirty, you can add butter to the pan and it will quickly become browned butter. Spoon this over the cabbage for a nutty, delicious flavor.

Once the cabbage pieces have a good amount of black on each side, turn off the heat, place a lid on the skillet, and let it steam until the cabbage (including the core) is tender (5 minutes).

While the cabbage is cooking, prepare the spicy mayo by combining the mayonnaise, Sriracha and lemon juice. Set the mayo aside until the cabbage is tender, place a wedge on each plate and drizzle over top and finish with a sprinkle of chives and dill. Enjoy!